480 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 26, 1881. 
given tbe name definitely; we can only now suggest that it is Ornithogalum 
exseaputn. It is quite impossible to name the Saxifrage without flowers, as 
many species are so nearly identical in foliage that no one can name them from 
leaves alone. (W.C.. North Devon ).—Small imperfect leaves of Ivies are quite 
insufficient for identification ; sprays containing peifectly developed leaves are 
necessary. (R. L. D .).—The flower appears to be a white variety of Hyacintlius 
amethystiuus, and is very pretty. (J. /'.).—1, Lonicera tatarica; 2, Staphylea 
pinnata. 
Swarming (F. J., Cork ).—The course you desire is the one we had planned. 
Swarming will be treated somewhat fully in an early issue. 
Moths in Hivos {T. E. L., Needham Market ).—When bees during summer 
become weak from any cause, the combs they are unable to cover are likely to 
get infested with the grubs of some species of Galleridte, the products of the eggs 
laid by the moth which by stealthy watching gains admittance. These grubs 
channel their way through the comb, and sometimes so carve and weaken it as 
to cause it to drop. But your bees in bringing out the moth larvae show that 
they are gaining strength, for ejecting the pests is an indication that they are 
repairing their combs. The preventive of all this is keeping your stocks strong, 
when the mother moth would have no chance. The moths whilst striving to 
gain an entrance have an advantage in that they as night-flying insects see 
clearly in the gloom, but in strong stocks the mother once within has but a poor 
chance of escape, while even if eggs are laid by her they are certainly removed 
before mischief has really commenced. Watching for the moths as you suggest 
would be quite useless, but they may often be seen flitting about if a lanthoru be 
taken after dark amongst the bees. Swarms having on more comb than they are 
able to cover are in no danger whatever. The precaution of killing all larvae 
and chrysalids will of course be taken. 
COYENT GARDEN MARKET.— MAT 25. 
No alteration in prices. A brisk trade doing, with large supplies of fruit 
from the continent. 
FRUIT, 
s. d. s. d. 
Apples. 
Apricots. 
Cherries. 
Chestnuts. 
Figs. 
Filberts. 
Cobs. 
Gooseberries .... 
Grapes . 
Lemons. 
Jsieve 2 6to4 6 
box 16 20 
ft. 1 6 2 0 
bushel oo oo 
dozen 10 0 12 e 
fft. 0 0 0 0 
oooo 
1 sieve o o o o 
%» ft 4 0 8 0 
V case 12 o 18 0 
Melons . 
Nectarines. 
Oranges . 
Peaches . 
Pears,kitchen .. 
dessert . 
Pine Apples .... 
Strawberries .... 
Walnuts . 
ditto . 
s. d. s. d. 
each 7 OtolO 0 
dozen 0 0 0 0 
p 100 4 0 8 0 
dozen 12 0 20 0 
dozen 0 0 0 0 
dozen 00 00 
V tt> 1 0 2 0 
per lb. 3 0 8 0 
bushel 00 00 
100 0 0 0 0 
VEGETABLES. 
s. d. s. d. 
Artichokes. dozen 2 0to4 o 
Asparagus. bundle 2 0 5 0 
Beans,Kidney .... 100 10 16 
Beet,Red. dozen 10 2 o 
Broccoli. bundle 0 9 16 
Brussels Sprouts.. jsieve 0 0 0 0 
Cabbage. dozen 0 6 10 
Carrots. bunch 0 4 0 6 
Capsicums. 100 1 6 2 0 
Cauliflowers. dozen o o 3 6 
Celery . bundle 16 2 0 
Coleworts_doz. bunches 2 0 4 0 
Cucumbers. each 0 4 0 8 
Endive. dozen 1 o 2 0 
Fennel. bunch 0 3 0 0 
Garlic . pit. 0 6 0 0 
Herbs. bunch o 2 0 0 
Leeks. bunch 0 3 0 4 
s. d. s. d. 
Mushrooms .punnet I Otol 6 
Mustard A Cress .. punnet 0 2 0 3 
Onions. bushel 3 6 5 0 
pickling. quart 0 0 0 0 
Parsley. doz.hunches 6 0 0 0 
Parsnips. dozen 10 2 0 
Peas . quart 0 0 0 0 
Potatoes. bushel 3 9 4 0 
Kidney. bushel 4 0 4 6 
Radishes.... doz .bunches 16 2 o 
Rhubarb. bundle 0 4 0 6 
Salsafy. bundle 10 0 0 
Scorzonera . bundle 16 0 0 
Seakale . basket 3 0 3 8 
Shallots. tb. o 3 0 0 
Spinach . bushel 3 0 0 0 
Turnips. bunch o 4 0 0 
Vegetable Marrows each 0 0 0 0 
POULTRY AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 
THE CROSS-BREEDING OF CATTLE. 
This subject is of far more importance than is usually con¬ 
sidered, and is well worthy of the attention of practical men as 
well as of physiologists. Experience in the matter, however, 
exhibits so many contradictions and unlooked-for results that 
attempts to lay down any sure guide have for the most part in 
general been received with considerable distrust by farmers, and 
more especially by young men, or the home farmer who may be 
just starting in his occupation ; for no sooner does the inquirer 
imagine that he has discovered some particular principle which 
obtains generally, than he is met by circumstances which appa¬ 
rently upset his previous conclusions. This must be considered 
as very discouraging, especially to men of limited experience. 
For instance, the maxim that “ like begets like ” is a rule having 
extensive sway, yet as propagation is the work of two parents 
the respective influence of the one or the other is a matter involv¬ 
ing considerable diversity of opinion as well as actual results ; 
it therefore prevents anything like certain conclusions being 
arrived at. We cannot perhaps do better at the outset of our 
subject than consider the respective influence of each parent, at 
least the opinions held thereon by some of our most practical as 
well as scientific men, for on this the merits of pure or cross¬ 
breeding must principally depend. 
The most probable and generally received opinion is that propa¬ 
gation is done as it were by halves, and thus it is considered that 
the back, loins, hind quarters, general shape, skin, and size follow 
one parent, and the forequarters, head, vital and nervous system 
the other; and we may venture to add that the former in the 
great majority of cases go with the male parent, and the latter 
with the female. There is, however, a minority of cases in which 
the opposite result obtains ; still there is no great difficulty in 
showing one most important point—that size is governed more by 
the male parent, a matter which we must ask the home farmer to 
remember in considering the various proposals we shall lay before 
him in our future observations on crossing and the various objects 
to be obtained thereby. We have dwelt on this point rather 
strongly, because upon it rests the difficulty of effecting required 
improvements in breeding by means of crossing, and the still 
greater difficulty of establishing a new breed by such means. So 
formidable is this difficulty that breeders, in many instances find¬ 
ing their efforts at such improvements so often baffled, or observ¬ 
ing this to be the case in the practice of others, cling with great 
tenacity to the doctrine of purity of blood, believing it to be the 
surest way in which to proceed with safety. Now, pure breeding 
when carried to an excess is styled in-and-in breeding, which 
has its advantages as well as disadvantages. Its friends and sup¬ 
porters say with great truth that when we have in breeding 
reached great excellence it is unreasonable to risk the loss of it 
by crossing, and the more so as the defects of a parent may dis¬ 
appear in a first or second, and reappear in the third or fourth 
generation, by “breeding back” as it is commonly termed. 
Again, it is urged, and with some force, that great excellencies 
can only be perpetuated by union with similar excellencies, and 
that beyond all this there is a certain amount of advantage from 
an unstained lineage, from the very possession of breed, as it is 
designated. The objectors, however, to in-and-in breeding declare 
that by so doing we engender weakness of constitution, diminu¬ 
tion of size, hereditary diseases, and a tendency to barrenness; 
but it is again urged in reply to such objections that they occur 
from want of care and caution in weeding out defective animals 
in respect of both constitution and size. We have also to consider 
the ultimate objects of cross-breeders, for they vary much. Some 
require to improve their animals, keeping in view chiefly the 
value of the animals for dairy purposes ; others desire to obtain 
an additional excellence in the animals they breed for fattening, 
and also to rear animals complete enough in all requisites for 
exhibition stock. 
We must, therefore, now consider what qualities are required 
in the ox ; these we may presume are early and rapid growth, the 
development of flesh or muscle on the parts most prized for 
human food, and also a disposition to lay on fat. These, with the 
possession of the smallest amount of bone consistent with strength 
and health, are the principal characteristics of a well-bred animal 
capable of being reared upon the esteemed point of early maturity 
and weight for age. Again, instead of the highly nervous tempera¬ 
ment of the buffalo and other wild cattle, we have here a quiet 
lazy disposition ; in fact, a lymphatic temperament, by the influ¬ 
ence of which the digestive organs reign supreme, and convert for 
the profit of the breeder and feeder a given quantity of food into 
the utmost amount of flesh and fat. 
We have no doubt, after falling back upon our own experience 
